Vanilla Almond Granola

Something about September just gets me in the baking mood. The scents of cinnamon and vanilla take me back to baking adventures from my childhood. My mom will admit that she was never a huge cook, but she knew the importance of baking which she instilled in my sister and I from an early age. However, I had never learned how to make homemade granola until about a month ago. Little did I know how easy it was! I did quite a bit of research to find the ideal granola recipe, but nothing really stuck out to me. So, I decided to take ideas from a couple of recipes and create one of my own!

Here's the recipe:

2 1/2 c oats

3/4 c sliced almonds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

a pinch of salt

1/4 c honey

1/4 c butter

1 Tb vanilla extract

Preheat the over to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, add oats, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Set this aside and in a small bowl, melt honey, butter and vanilla together.

Pour melted mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated. Grab a cookie sheet and cover with parchment paper. Spread granola mixture evenly onto parchment paper. I used two medium sized baking sheets to ensure a thin enough layer.

Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. After 10 minutes of baking, keep a close eye on it to prevent burnt oats. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

I need to warn you all now... there is a 100% chance that this recipe will create a heavenly scent in your kitchen. I made a few bags and jars for gifts, but i'll be honest, I kept a fair amount for myself! It's the perfect topping on yogurt and fresh fruit, and the perfect gift for loved ones.

#granola #almondgranola #sweetgranola #homemadegranola